City in the Desert, Revisited features previously unpublished documents and reproduces over fifty photographs from the archaeological excavations at Qasr al-Hayr in Syria. The book recounts the personal experiences and professional endeavours that shaped the fields of Islamic archaeology, art and architectural history as the significance of these fields of study expanded during the 1960s and 1970s. Between 1964 and 1971, renowned Islamic art historian Oleg Grabar directed a large-scale archaeological excavation at the site of Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi. Drawn to the remote eighth-century complex in the hopes of uncovering a princely Umayyad palace, Grabar and his team instead stumbled upon a new type of urban settlement in the Syrian steppe. A rich lifeworld emerged in the midst of their discoveries, and over the course of the excavation's six seasons, close relationships formed between the American and Syrian archaeologists, historians, and workers who laboured and lived at the site.

Mosques are among the greatest architectural feats and have a profound beauty: their spiritual purpose adds to their mystery and lustre. This visually stunning volume illustrates the development of the basic mosque structural and decorative elements through sixty examples including the most venerated, such as the Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain; the Imam Mosque of Isfahan, Iran; and Istanbul s Suleymaniye Mosque along with such innovative new expressions as Doha s Abu al-Qabib Mosque. Mosques from Europe, the Indian subcontinent, North America, North Africa and the sub-Sahara, the Middle East, and Russia and the Caucasus are showcased, from their origins in Mecca and Medina through their major stylistic transformations under the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires up to the present. Stunning original and archival photographs show striking exterior and interior views as well as adjacent gardens and fountains that grace these magnificent structures. Essays by prominent architecture and design authorities cover topics such as the iconographic and decorative elements of the mosque, including the calligraphy and tilework that adorn these important sanctuaries, as well as regional architecture styles. This important volume is a must for those interested in architecture and design, as well as lovers of Islamic art.